The Dark Side of Luxury Brands: Fraud and Laundering

The Dark Side of Luxury Brands: Fraud and Laundering

Haute couture may be showcased under chandeliers and velvet ropes, but its underground counterpart operates in Telegram channels, crypto wallets, and dark web storefronts.  What looks like a niche problem of fake handbags is, in reality, a sprawling shadow economy where luxury goods function as financial instruments, laundering vehicles, and scam bait. “Unlike the glamorous image often portrayed in public media, counterfeit haute couture represe…

Counterfeits, Money Laundering, and Scams in the Cybercrime Haute Couture Economy

Haute couture fashion is a high-value economy with a flourishing cybercrime counterpart. We looked into counterfeits, money laundering, and scams.